Smith, John: A catalogue raisonné of the works of the most eminent Dutch, Flemish, and French painters: in which is included a short biographical notice of the artists, with a copious description of their principal pictures : a statement of the prices at which such pictures have been sold at public sales on the continent and in England; a reference the the galleries and private collections in which a large portion are at present; and the names of the artists by whom they have been engraved; to which is added, a brief notice of the scholars & imitators of the great masters of the above schools (Band 9): Supplement (London: Smith and Son, 1842)

PETER PAUL RUBENS

241.

and perhaps preferable to the first, because when a master
doth a thing the second time, lightly it is for the better. I
imagin in your praise of the others your Lordship excepteth
this cum semper sit excipiendus.—Plato. The peece of Sniers
(as I think I told you) was judged heere by skilful men
worth one hundred crowns : and howsoever you esteeme there
your Jaques de Ghein, yet wee prefere by much Brugel, be-
cause his thinges have neatnesse and force, and a morbi-
dezza which the others have not; but is cutting and sharpe
(to use Painters’phrases) and his thinges are to much ordered.
I delivered to Signor Rubens what your Lordship wrights to
mee concerning your heades and statuaes.”

Extract of a letter from Thomas Locke, Esq. (believed to
be one of the under Secretaries of State) to Sir Dudley
Carleton, Ambassador at the Hague. Dated March 18,
1620-1.
“ I have delivered the picture to my Lord Davers ; he
made a motion to have me write to Rewbens before he would
pay the money, to this effect, that the picture had bin shewed
to men of skill, who said that it was forced and slighted,
and that he has not shewed his greater skill in it, and from
that cause my Lord would have him make a better, if he could,
and he should have this againe, and be pleased for the other
what he would have, for seing the Prince hath none of
Rewben’s worke, but one peece of Judith and Holofernes,
which Rewben disavoweth, therefore he would have a good
one or more. As for this, he said that he had not yet sett it
amongst the Prince’s pictures, neither would, until it were
avowed from Rewben to be a masterpeece. I told my Lord
that I knew yonr Lordship had taken all possible care about
it, and that I doubted not but it would prove as goode as it
should be ; but notwithstanding that, I would write to your
Lordship to the effect of his Lordship’s speech, and that if it
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